Folding clothes drier



May 20, 1952 v. E. GLEASMAN FOLDING CLOTHES DRIER 2 SHEETSSHEET l Filed July 25, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

A rain 5m a y 20, 1952 v. E. GLEASMAN FOLDING CLOTHES DRIER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed July 25, 1948 m mu INVENTOR;

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Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT DFIFICE FOLDING CLOTHES DRIER Vernon E. Gleasman, Elmira, N. Y.

Application July 23, 1948, Serial No. 40,352

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in folding clothes driers for domestic or household use, and the principal object thereof is to provide a drier which is attractive in appearance, and which is simple to manufacture, and which may be folded for storage in a small space when not in use, the same utilizing a rotary lock joint such as disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 34,950, filed June 24, 1948.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a compact foldable domestic clothes drier having'a large drying capacity, the same comprising aframe having a series of sliding wires on the frame which can be spaced different distances apart, so as to make each wire fully exposed in itsturn'whereby the clothes may be readily hung on' the wires without interference with the adjacent wires; also to provide the sliding wires with extended ends in order to dry garments by their loops or straps, also gloves, mittens or the like which can be slipped over the ends of the wires.

A further object is to provide unique means for permitting the frame thereof, of cube-like formation, to be folded flat, utilizing rotary joints, together with means to retain the drier in its folded position.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

'I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several practical embodiments thereof, to enable others to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combination of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of the drier, in folded position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the drier, in unfolded operative position.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through one of the lock joints in locked position, also showing the retaining wire attached to the toe cap which is the key to assemble or disassemble the frame.

Fig. 4 shows a modified sliding wire with extended ends.

Fig. 5 shows a further modified sliding wire.

My novel clothes drier, as shown, comprises a tubular frame (Fig. 2) normally of cube-like formation, formed by three U-shaped tube members I, 2 and 3, each comprising parallel legs connected by a bight, the member I forming one of the legs of the frame, member 2 forming the upper frontof the frame, and member 3 forming the other leg, the members I, 2 and 3 being 2 joined together at number 4 and M1 by rotary lock joints, one of which is shown in Fig. 3.

Each rotary lock joint (Fig. 3) comprises a hollow plug or sleeve 5 having one end fixedly secured by any fastening means, or by brazing, welding or swaging, in the end of the memberZ; the outer end of sleeve 5 having an extension 6 making a slip fit within the leg member I (or 3) as shown in Fig. 3, and the outer end of extension 6 being beveled as at I to engage the complementary beveled end 8 of a second hollow plug or sleeve 9 which is securely fastened within the leg member I (or 3) as shown in Fig. 3 by any suitable fastening means, or by brazing, welding or swaging.

Within the sleeve 5 is a spring I2 adapted to urge the two beveled ends I and 8 of sleeves 5 and 9 towards each other in order to take up the clearance in the slip fit area at I0, and to firmly seat the two beveled ends I and 8 together to produce a rigid joint yieldably resisting rotation of members 2 and I, or 2 and 3, and to eliminate play or shaking, the extensions 6 then serving as a rigid support for the frame member 2.

, In the sleeve 5 is a member II having a coneshaped outer end (Fig. 3) which forms an abutment for the spring I2. In order to prevent the cone member I I from moving to the right (Fig. 3) under action of the spring I2, a rivet I3 through sleeve extension 6 is disposed in its path; and the cone-shaped end of member II holds the rivet I3 in place in the hole in extension 5, the rivet I3 serving as a key to the assembly. The opposite end of spring I2 is held under compression by a loop I4 or the like formed at the end of a retaining wire I5 which passes through a bore I6 in'the cone member II and which continues through the entire length of the leg member I (or 3) the same terminating at and being attached to the hook portion ll of a standard pipe cap I8. Since the sleeve 9 is secured in the leg member I (or 3), and since the compressed spring I2 has one end acting against the cone member I I which is fixed within the sleeve 5, the two beveled ends I and 8 will be constantly yieldably urged towards each other by the action of spring I2.

By the above construction, the two beveled ends I and 8 can be separated by pulling on the leg member I while holding the frame member 2 stationary. This will further compress spring I2 to a point where the beveled ends I and 8 will clear each other. At this point the leg member I may be rotated into its folded position shown in Fig. 1. and because of the similar hinge pro- 3 vided at 4a (Figs. 1 and 2), the leg member 3 can similarly be folded to the position shown in Fig. 1. To retain the frame in its folded position a chain [9 or the like (Figs. 1 and 2) is pro vided to encircle the overlapping folded portions.

The upper or hanging portion of the frame (Fig. 2) is provided with slidably mounted wires 20, the outermost wire being provided with elongated loops 2I to compensate for the curvature of the frame corners,- allowing "said Wire-to be placed adjacent the frame front bar. Also provided in the frame (Fig. 2) are two drive screws 22 which serve to retain the wires 20 on the upper overhanging portion of the frame.

A modified construction of the wires is shown in Fig. 4, the same having extended end porti'ons 23 and 23a which project beyond .the sides of the frame which pass through the loops 24" and 24a of the wires. Portions 23 and 23a provide'a means to hang garments thereon by their loops or straps; also ameansto dry gloves, mittens or the. like without necessitating the use of. clothes pins. The extended portions 23 .and 23a are provided at their ends with small eyes or-loops 25 and 25a to hang or hook conventional. type clothes hangers therein for drying shirts or the like, the eyes or loops 25-25a at the ends of the wires also serving as guards to prevent injury. It is understood that .the modified wires shown in Fig. 4 are interchangeable with wires 20.

Itis obvious that the wires do not necessarily have to'entirely surround the-frame members as the wires may be designed to merely snap over the frame members as shown in Fig. 5,- and therefore be removable.

From the foregoing it canbe seen that -agreat number of slidable wires mean he used without handicapping the loading or unloading of the wires since each wire in turn can be widely separated from the adjacent wires, The following example is submitted in order to emphasize the drying capacity of my arrangement of wires. In a-wire supporting frame 20" x24", assuming that-the wires area shown in Fig. 4, the wires overhanging the frame 6", and the distance between the supports being 20", by adding the 6 extensions, each wire will have -a length of 20, plus 6", plus 6, equaling 32". Assuming that the wires-are spacedl" aparttherecould be 24 wires utilizedinthe frame. Thus, by multiplying the 32" by 24, thecapacitywould be, equal to, 64 feet of clothes line.

I'do not limit myinvention to the exact forms shown in thedrawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope ofthe claims.

I claim:

1. A foldingframecomprising three U-shaped members each having, parallel legs connected by a bight, two of which members are normally disposed in spaced parallel relation with their bights disposed vertically whereby one pair of their respective legs will form the bottom of the frame, the legs of the third member extending endwise from and connecting the other pair of the legs of the first two members to form therewith the top of the frame; and rotary lock joints connecting the legs of the third member with said other pair of legs of the first two members, said joints having means adapted to normallymaintain the-first two members in planes normal to that of the third member while permitting the first two members to berotated into folded position superimposed upon the third member.

2., A folding clothes drier or the like comprising a. frame including three U-shaped members each having parallel legs connected by a bight, two of which members are normally disposed in spaced parallel relation with their bights disposed verticallywhereby one pair of their respective, legs will. form the bottomof the frame, thelegsof the third member extending endwisel from; and con, nectingtheother pairof the legs. of thelfirstltwo members to form therewith thetop of theframe; rotary lock joints connecting the legs of thethird member with said other pair of. legs of the-first twomembers, said joints having means, adapted to normally maintainvthe first twomembers-in planes normal to that of the thirdmemberwhile permitting the :firsttwo members to be rotated into folded position superimposed upon the third member; means for maintaining the membersiin foldedposition; aseries of worksu-ppertingmem; bers slidably mounted on the said other. legsof thefirst two members; and means forlimiting the movement of said supportingmembers in wardly of thesaid other legs of. the first two members.

VERNON E. GLEASMAN..

REFERENCES CITED The following-references, are of reeord inthe file of. this patent:

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490,380 Ward Man-24,1893 694,793 Schiele Mar. 4, 1902 745,641 Messerly Dec. 1, 1903 774,379 Cavanaugh Noy.. 8, 1904 832,625 Ryan Oct, 9; 1906 843,220 Losee Feb.- 5, 1907,

1,620,199 Felicety Mar. 8,- 1927 2,013,192 Smith Sept.,3,,1935

2,135,565 Devney Nov. 8, 1938 2,462,377 Flinn Feb 22,1949

2,478,118 Mills Aug. 2, 19,49 

